Dead Groundhog

They did it...Lucky and Louis found that Groundhog and killed it right in front of my eyes.

It was horrible. I tried to stop it - I threw my coffee at them and yelled and screamed - but they thought it was just a big game.

It was over in seconds. I feel horrible.

The dogs do not even realize that they did anything wrong. They are very proud of themselves and have spent the last 24 hours looking for new prey.

Okay - enough on that...I am feeling sick to my stomach.

Good news...

after months and months of trying - we finally were able to get a slip lead on Louis. It took hours of holding treats inside the loopof the slip lead. He is a smart boy...he was not falling for it at first...but cooked chicken breast eventually did the trick.

This poor dog must have been tied up and beaten or dragged behind a car or something because he is terrified of anything resembling a collar or leash. He runs into a corner and growls everytime he sees a leash.

We were able to get one on him a few months back. Once on - Louis collasped to the ground and did not move for 6 hours. Then he chewed it right off. Since then - He has not let us near him to try again.

He lets us pet him and rub his belly - but as soon as a leash comes out....zoom...he is gone.

This has posed quite a problem because without a leash - we cannot take him to the vet or anywhere - He has essentially been living his life in the house and in the fenced in yard. Not to mention - David and I are unable to go anywhere overnight together as one of us has to stay home to take care of Louis.

He originally came to us from a kill shelter in Arkansas with two other dogs named Tyler and Tess. Tyler and Tess were found by Animal Control tied to a tree with belts and so starved that they could not even get up. There was another dog tied with them that was dead. Louis was found in the same area - but he was not tied (my guess is that he chewed himself free).

It took Animal Control a month to catch him because he is so skiddish. When they brought him to the shelter, he recognized Tyler and Tess - went running over to them wagging his tail - big reunion!

Of course we took all three. These dogs would have never had a chance if we did not. They are boxer mixes which makes them unadoptable in the South - I think Louis might have some Ridgeback in him - because of the way his hair stands up on his back. He also has quite an odd bark.

Tyler and Tess gained 30 lbs each while with us and were treated for heartworm, demodex and god knows what else...Louis is still with us because of his scared nature. Having a leash on him will allow us to walk him, train him and to help himto regain his confidence...who knows - maybe someday he will be able to be adopted!

We took him for his first walk last night- which was very funny. He was so curious - but terrified at the same time. He smelled everything intensely - and then collapse to the ground...then his curiosity would get the better of him and he would walk and smell a little more...At one point he caught his leash on a sign post and had a total meltdown.

We finally got him and walking again and a fire engine, lights ans sirens blaring came cruising around the corner. I thought we were going to lose him. He was trying like crazy to back out of the collar.

Slow progress. Next week he goes to the vet...fingers crossed.

CDL

Groundhog Day

OMG - Today was a dog day.

I let the dogs out for a romp in the yard and they immediately surrounded my van.

Louis and Lucky were under - with Otis, Jez and Shasta circling and barking. I looked under the van to see what the commotion was about and saw nothing...but the barking, circling frenzy continued -- so I knew something was up...

I could not get the dogs back in the house ...soI ended up physically carrying each one up the stairs to the kitchen.

Once secure...I stuck my head under the rear bumber...and something that sounded like a bird screamed from my spare tire- told me to go away. I thought "Oh God - Did I run over a sparrow in the road?"...remembering that I had driven through a few earlier that day.

I am late for a foster home visit - but I do not want to drive until the animal in my spare is saved. I really don'twant to call Animal Control as they had been out last week when Lucky slipped under the fence to chase a passing Husky out for a walk.

At that moment, David comes home from work...Hooray! He gets under the van and losens the spare...Out runs a very angry Woodchuck. Well - the Woodchuck is long gone (I hope) - but he is still living under my van as far as Lucky and Louis are concerned. I cennot get either of them to even go pee...all they want to do is crawl under the van and find that furry critter....I hope he is gone...please let him be gone... CDL

Good News for Samantha!

We finally were able to get ahold of Samantha's owner. Patty, one of our supporters in MA picked Sam up on Saturday and transported her to Maine to go to her foster home on Sunday.

Sam is just a wonderful dog. She sure does not act like a 10 year old dog...I think she is younger. Great with kids, full of kisses. She loves to run and play catch - we think she might have some Aussie in her.

Unfortunately, Sam is terrified of other dogs. The two dogs in her foster home tried to play with her and she went running, screaming as if she had been seriously injured. This is one of the side effects of living a life of isolation - out on a chain. She probably has never met another dog or was attached by one while she was chained.

At any rate -- Sam is safe, and the meories of her former life are fading fast. Now we just need to find her forever home!

Another one saved:)

CDL

Challenging Day!

This day has been frustrating...I have working with another Dogs Deserve Better Rep to rescue an elder Husky mix named Samantha, chained outside her whole life in Mass.

It has taken months but we have finally found a foster home for her and someone willing to transport her to Maine.

All of the pieces are in place, but now her owner refuses to return our calls. He has given permission for us to take Samantha, but the was months ago. We need him to be home to sign a release when we go to pick Sam up, otherwise we cannot save her.

The worst part is...He is selling his home. He threatened to euthanize Sam if we could not find a place for her to go before he moved.

I am trying to convince the Animal Control Officer in the town to go to his home to remove Samantha personally - but so far, she has not responded to that idea.

On another note...Another rescuer sent the below poem to me and I think it is great!
You Know You Are a Rescuer

It is raining AGAIN today. The house is full of muddy footprints. Lucky has been out pulling drowning earthworms from the ground. Yuck.

CDL

A Typical Day

It is about 5:30a when Lucky and Louis start pacing and whining - telling us that they need to go out to smell what the day brings...they want to check for the Paper delivery guy...They love to greet him with bark and squeels - much to our neighbor's dismay.

It's hard to be a rescuer in suburbia... We spend much of our time learning the schedules of neighborhood deliveries, such as the paper, mail, oil and garbage pick-up in an effort to keep the noise level down.

David makes coffee -- puts Louis and Shasta in their crates...then it is off for the first walk of the day with Lucky and Otis.

This is my opening to bring Brandy, our elder Dalmation, downstairs and out for her morning outing. Brandy cannot handlethe stairs anymore, and the other dogs want to take piece out of her because they sense that she is weak, so we have to make sure that the coast is clear when we carry her down the stairs from our bedroom.

While Brandy prances around the yard -- I fix breakfast for the dogs - in an effort to distract them when I bring Brandy back inside and up the stairs. I have about 10 minutes to complete the morning frenzy before David, Lucky and Otis return from their walk.

Once the feeding and walking is done - David leaves for work and it is back to bed for the dogs until the rest of the neighborhood heads off to work. I have to keep them quiet until the neighbors are gone and it is once again safe to enter the yard. Boy do I need the Home Makeover crew to build me a sanctuary in the middle of nowhere...

I check my email - I usually receive between 15 - 20 pleas for help during the night for rescuers across the United States, begging for the lives of the dogs on the euthanasia list the next day. Sometimes I read them and try to help a dog or two - sometimes I cannot even look.

The rest of the day is filled with rotated dog walks and outings, trips to the vet, to the dog park...responding to adopter inquiries, home visits for prospective adopters, scooping poop, cleaning crates, emails to past adopters checking up on their new family members, and sending out a pleas of my own for funds, foster homes and help dogs that are in danger.

Brandy has to go out every 3-4 hours because of her age - which means crating the rest of the crew each time she is due for her romp.

I am fortunate to have such a loyal group of supporters. My past adopters and their friends and family come through time and time again for my "urgent" need of the moment.

Our day usually ends around 11:00p...at which point I look around and realize, once again that the laundry has not been done, the clean laundry from weeks ago is piled up on the table, the bills have not been paid, and I have not spoken to my family and friends in months...I promise to do better tomorrow, but in the land of the dogs, the dogs come first and everything else falls to the wayside.